Weeeeeeellll I'm going to be hand beading (is there supposed to be a hyphen there? I feel like there should be a hyphen...) the bodice of a Manga Princess Serenity gown. This'll be my first legitimate attempt at hand beading anything soooo~... I'm planning on using pearls, preferably already strung. I was also thinking about rhinestones on a chain. Not sure what else yet, probably whatever ribbons/lace suit my fancy.

So, with what little materials listed above, what're some suggestions on techniques/stitches? Also, if you've beaded a Manga Serenity bodice or costume with roughly the same amount of beadwork... how many hours(ish) did it take you? Are/were you a novice at the time of the beading? I have a couple of months to complete the bodice yet, is that possibly too short a time-frame for someone of my skill level to complete moderately heavy beadwork?

Hand sewing strung beads is faster than actually stringing them, and your time will speed up as you get the hang of it. Not knowing the outfit, I've no clue how much beading we are talking about. If you spend one hour every evening working on it, after a month you will be getting twice as much (or more) sewn in that same hour

Use fine needles and good thread, not Walmart cheap crap. This part of your project is not a big expense, so getting quality tools/ materials for this part won't set you back significantly over getting cheap stuff.

if you are using already strung beads, you will use a technique called couching. This video demonstrates traditional couching, which is done with yarn, you will replace the yarn with your strung beads.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A603a7jKEcw
She uses a really fat thread for demonstration purposes, your sewing thread should should be much finer and the same color as your beads/ pearls.

Yes! That isn't nearly as much beading as I was thinking initially (I was thinking neck to waist type stuff)

You will want to actually make your bead circles on organza, (use a embroidery hoop to make the process easier), then sew the details onto the dress. Why? If you sew the details wrong directly on the dress, it's tons of work to move them, if you make the detail, then apply it whole, you can move it around much more easily. That is how the fancy embroidery is put on wedding dresses, big sections of beadwork are created on fine sheer material, then it's applied to the gown whole. This makes the dress tailor-able as well, because the beadwork can be lifted, the sides adjusted, then reapplied.

And for the rows of pearls, I did the same Idea, I'm using glass Pearl beads I hand strung in progressive sizes to give the "ball beaded" effect to the two rows above and below the bust. Also, Penlowe's Idea with organza will also allow you to make the stable half loops that make up the underbust.

Have fun and let us know how it's going! I'm in progress with my dress as well. and for the skirt hem I'm going to use the Rolled hem treatment with fishing line to get the lettuce hem.
To get a small coil rather than the larger coil fishing line has though, you have to rewrap it onto smaller spools and boil it , then let it cool to make the curls finer. When it's sewn into the hem it will have smaller curls rather than the curls you see on the fluffy petticoats like you see in extravagant gypsy wedding gowns or on toddlers and tiaras.

I am actually not going to be making the entire gown myself... Just the hand beading on the bodice. I ordered a wedding gown similar to Serenity's manga gown. Personally, I dont have the skills or time to sew the entire gown at this juncture :3

However, the smaller projects of these circles and the organza bit are pretty mobile, so I can take them to work for lunch break to work on.

As for how it's going? I bought some glittery stickyback 9x12 craft foam. This was an accident (the stickyback part; glitter was purposeful), but it's kind of pleasant. The stickyback holds on to my strung pearls for me so they're not flopping around as I couch (which is quite easy, really). I have managed to produce one circle with pearls around the outside edge and it looks lovely; the stitching is perfectly sturdy feeling. I probably would've accomplished more in the dress department, but today was "Make the Moon Kaleidoscope Wand out of Sculpey" day... so yeah... long day for me :P

I will be taking heaps of in-process and progress shots. So I'll get around to uploading them as I take them. I -DO- greatly appreciate the advice given thusfar in this thread. You guys have been super~! Thank you greatly.